The Premier League champions could fall into the bottom three this weekend. Going down to the Championship is a real possibility.

Leicester do not know what has hit them. The Foxes are being hunted down.

They are now under serious threat of becoming only the second English champions to see their title defence end in relegation, after Manchester City crashed and burned in 1938.

“We knew it wasn’t going to be like last season – but it’s tougher than we thought,” said defender Danny Simpson, words which will send fear running down the spine of every Leicester fan. “It is tough for everyone.”

The one scintilla of positivity Leicester fans have been told they can cling to, however, is that, two seasons ago, the club were in this position, successfully fighting relegation under previous manager Nigel Pearson.

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Danny Simpson has discussed Leicester's difficult season

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“The good thing is we have been here before two years ago,” said Simpson, thinking, perhaps misguidedly, that such ‘experience’ would offer any crumb of comfort for Leicester supporters desperate to avoid the unwanted record of winning the title one season and going down the next.

“The majority of the squad were here two years ago. In that respect we have experience in that. The players who were here then can help some of the other lads though and we will pull together.”

Which is what Simpson is doing when defending striker Jamie Vardy, whose failure to score in the 3-0 drubbing at home to Manchester United on Sunday means he has now scored in just one of his last 24 club matches.

He has a total of five in 24 Premier League games so far this term. Last season, Vardy scored 24 Premier League goals, just one behind Golden Boot winner Harry Kane.

Leicester, in fact, have yet to score a Premier League goal in 2017.

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Jamie Vardy has scored just one goal from his last 24 matches

Last season, their match against United saw Vardy break the Premier League record for scoring in consecutive matches; his strike in the 1-1 draw taking him past Ruud van Nistelrooy’s mark of 10.

But Simpson’s tub-thumping line of “pulling together” has seen him defend Vardy, believing he should not carry the can for Leicester’s humiliating deterioration to Premier League laughing stock.

“Vards is not getting the chances,” said Simpson. “If he’s not getting the chances, what do you want him to do? We need to keep going. We need fight, spirit, luck. We haven’t had that but we can’t keep saying that. We are conceding goals we don’t normally concede, if we are honest.

“We’re not getting many chances – not getting many clear-cut chances. We’re not missing, it’s just not dropping.”

While that will sound like excuses to fans paying hard-earned cash to watch their side slip uncontrollably down the league, there will be almost no one to blame if they fail to win on Sunday. Swansea away is as big as it comes for Leicester right now.

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Leicester were thumped 3-0 by Manchester United on Sunday

One of their five wins this term came against Swansea in August. There is a caveat, however, and that is that Leicester have not won away from home this term. Despite a 2-1 defeat against Manchester City on Sunday, Swansea are a different, tougher, prospect under new manager Paul Clement.

Leicester winger Demarai Gray is under no illusions of the size of the task. “It’s massive,” he said. “The lads have already said we understand how big that game is. It [confidence] has been a little bit of a problem with us this season.”

Wednesday they have a chance to give themselves a timely shot in the arm when they face Derby in their FA Cup fourth-round replay at the King Power Stadium.

Simpson agrees. “Sunday is big, I get that, but I want to play against Derby,” he said. “We need a win. I know it’s not the league but we need a win. Maybe it can help with our confidence. It’s a big game. I don’t think we should write it off because of what is going on in the league.

“Maybe it’s what we need to kick us on and give the fans a lift for Sunday.”